


One Thing's Universal

by AnnaBliss13



Category: Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey
Genre: F/F, IHOP, Soft Times after Reconciliation, senior prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 10:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17424335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaBliss13/pseuds/AnnaBliss13
Summary: “Besides, I would much rather just go to IHOP after.”Regina groaned at her girlfriend’s words, “We are not going to IHOP after our senior prom, Janis.”





	One Thing's Universal

**Author's Note:**

> Why does it take me another several months to write a fic? I've been working on this shit since M A Y. Anyways, enjoy.

“Janis, where the hell are you? I swear if you make me late for prom I-”

“What, what exactly will you do, Reg?” Janis’s voice said from the phone on Regina’s desk. The blonde huffed as she finished curling her hair, rolling her eyes despite knowing her girlfriend wouldn’t see her annoyance. 

“Look, all I’m saying is the rest of the group has either texted me telling me they’re on their way or they’re sitting on my couch downstairs. I just want to get these pictures perfected and over with so we can head out.”

“I’ll be there soon, Regina,” Her girlfriend replied. No matter how many times Regina thought of Janis as just that,  _ her _ girlfriend, it still put an unintentional smile on her face. “Besides, you said yourself, you want ‘ _ everyone looking their best Janis, not one hair out of place’.” _

“Mock me all you want, but these pictures are going to be something we look back on later in life and think  _ ‘wow, we were cute then’ _ .”

“You say that as though I’ll actually be reminiscing on my high school experience once we get out of this hell.”

“Some of us actually had a nice time. Especially this past year.” Regina said, sappiness dripping from her final words. Regina could practically feel the brunette’s eye roll through the phone. 

“Alright, well, I’ll be there soon okay?” Regina, having shut off her curling iron, was making last minute touches and double checking details as their conversation continued.

“Did you get our corsages? The lady on the phone sa-”

“Yesssss Regina, I got them.”

“What about a change of clothes? We can’t go to any parties after wi-”

“Babe, please calm down. It’s fine. It’s prom, not the end of the world. I know it means a lot to you, but don’t take it all so personally, okay? Not everything has to be perfect, I’m just happy to be spending time with you.” Regina plopped down on the side of her bed, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. “Besides, I would much rather just go to IHOP after.” 

Regina groaned at her girlfriend’s words, “We are  _ not _ going to IHOP after our senior prom, Janis.”

“We’ll see. Alright, I’m hanging up, but I’ll be there in a few.”

“Wait Jan, one more thing.” The blonde started anxiously. She’d been preparing herself to say it soon. It’d been a long, yet rewarding year, and she’d been trying to find the right time to tell her girlfriend how she felt.

“Yes?”

“I-I’m excited to see you,” Regina said hesitating. It wasn’t the right time, not yet. Not for such a big step. 

“I’m excited to see you too, Regina. I’ll see you soon. I’ve got a surprise.”

“Do I get any hints?” The blonde asked, raising her eyebrows. 

"Nope,” Janis said, hanging up the line before Regina could reply.

-

Janis leaned back in the passenger’s seat of her mom’s car and exhaled the groan she had held in throughout her conversation with her date. Her mother chuckled in amusement from the driver’s side and sent a brief look at her frustrated daughter. 

“You know honey, I did warn you we were going to be running late if you did this.” Rachel Sarkisian teased as she drove towards the George’s mansion. 

“Yeah, but I thought you meant like five minutes or something. It didn’t take me that long last time.” The younger girl huffed, turning to face her mom.

“Well, to be fair, last time was just a touch up after your two in the morning impulse while I was at work.” 

“I thought it looked fine at the time...” Janis muttered.

“It did! Once we fixed it after you got home from school. I remember even Damian gave me a look when he met us there. We had to tip that poor girl so much money for canceling on the rest of her clients,” The woman chuckled. Upon seeing her daughter’s unamused pout, she realized her error. “Oh, I never mentioned that before, did I?”

“No, you didn’t. I told you to stop wasting money on me.”

“I hardly call that a waste of money, Janis.” Her daughter shifted to look out the window, maintaining her habit of avoiding eye contact.

“You always take the time to help me when I mess up,” Janis said, her voice barely audible over the radio as the car came to a slow for a stop light. 

“Hey, that’s what moms do.” 

“But I mess up a  _ lot _ .” Rachel reached over and grabbed her daughter’s chin, gently moving her head in order to look her in the eyes.

“And that’s what kids do. You’re allowed to make mistakes, Jan. Hell, everyone’s allowed to make mistakes. You know I have.” She finished, dropping her hand back to the wheel as the light turned green. 

“Like marrying David?”

“Hey!” Her mother started, sending her a lighthearted point, “As shitty as your father may be, he gave me you, and that will  _ never _ be a mistake.” She glanced over at her daughter again briefly as they continued along the road. “Don’t roll your eyes at me. I don’t care if I’m being sappy or not. It’s your senior prom night, and I think I have the right.”

Janis put her hands up in mock surrender, chuckling at her mom’s comments. The two sat in content silence for several seconds before Rachel chimed in again.

“Besides, without you in my life, who would I have feed the cat while I’m stuck on the late shift?” Janis scoffed in a mixture of disbelief and amusement, and lightly whacked her mother’s arm. She knew her mom meant it as a joke, but the small part of her that brought about constant doubt couldn’t help but overanalyze.

_ You wouldn’t need to work so late if you didn’t have to support me alone. _

“Janis, I know that look in your eyes. You aren’t a burden, sweetheart; please remember that.”

“Hey, how about we spend less time focusing on me and more time looking at the road, huh?”

Rachel shot her daughter another look before surrendering with a light eye roll. She compromised in grabbing Janis’s hand, however, and giving it a gentle squeeze.

As the two pulled up towards their destination, Janis sighed and looked towards her mom again.

“Do you think she’ll like it?” She asked as Rachel parked the car. Her mother, finally able to fully face her daughter, leaned forward to kiss Janis’s forehead. As she wrapped the younger girl in a hug, she placed a comforting hand on Janis’s head.

“Honey, of course, she’s gonna love it.” 

-

“Regina, honey! Janis and Rachel just pulled up!” Sabrina shouted up the stairs, only to have her daughter fly down to meet her at the final step. “How about you get the gang set up for photos outside and I can bring them out back? That way you guys can head out faster.”

“But mom, I-”

“Come on, baby, you aren’t missing anything I’ll bring the girls right out.” 

Regina huffed before reluctantly heading towards her living room and the other guests. The gang, having all arrived before Janis, was waiting tiredly for some sort of direction. Damian, Cady, and Aaron were next to each other on the couch; the lovebirds flirting as Damian picked at the veggie platter Sabrina had set out earlier that evening. Shane was already out back tossing a football with Kevin, who, if Regina had to guess was regretting his choice of agreeing to play with the jock. Gretchen was scrolling through her phone on a bar stool from the kitchen while Karen stood by the wall, zoning off into space as usual. 

When the blonde entered the room, only Damian looked over towards her, the others too preoccupied in their own amusements.

“Is she here yet?” He asked through a mouthful of celery. Regina rolled her eyes in disgust. Try as she might to be nicer, and despite her love of food, she would never approve of speaking with a full mouth. No matter how often her girlfriend or her girlfriend’s best friend chose to do so.

“Yeah, she just pulled in. We should probably start heading out back,” She replied, crossing her arms. 

Karen’s head snapped over towards Regina’s voice, her eyes now containing a focused look instead of the previously blank expression. 

“Regina, are we really going to IHOP later? Damian sa-”

“For the love of God, what is with everyone and IHOP today?”  After looking towards a frowning Karen, Regina realized she shouldn’t have snapped. “Sorry, Karen. It’s just that, it’s prom. I don’t understand why everyone keeps bringing up what we do  _ after _ .”

“Because prom food and after parties are notoriously shitty, and the thought of eating breakfast food in fancy clothes is the only thing keeping half of us, particularly those of us who are in college, awake right now.” Aaron added from the other side of the room, Cady nodding with support next to him.

“Aaron, you’re literally the only one of us in college right now.”

“Yeah, but Regina, his point remains. The food at Spring Fling last year was pretty bad, and I didn’t even try a lot of it,” The redhead chimed in. Regina put her hands up in surrender, then gestured towards the gliding doors across from the group.

“Okay, fine, whatever. Can we just go outside now? I, for one, have a lot to look forward to with this prom. It’s the first one where I’m not forcing myself to go with a beard,” She paused. “Sorry, Aaron.”

“None taken.”

The gang got up to stretch and head out back, and Regina glanced back into the foyer, where her mom patiently waited for the last two guests to make their way into the house. And as she turned back and finished shuffling everyone out the door, she heard her mom open the front door as she closed the back.

-

Sabrina audibly gasped as she let Janis and Rachel into the mansion.

“Sweetheart! Come here, you look gorgeous!” She said, wrapping Janis tight in a hug. As Janis hugged back, she couldn’t ease the nerves she had had in her stomach the whole ride over. 

“She’s nervous about what the resident fashionista might think,” Rachel said, entering the home and shutting the door behind her. 

Janis rolled her eyes again as her mother’s long time friend released her from the death grip. “Mom, really?”

The moms walked over to each other and hugged before looking back to the younger girl. Mrs. George spoke up again, “Janis, the rest of the squad are in the backyard if you want to head out there! We’re just waiting on Tony to get back with his camera. ”

The brunette nodded, and despite inwardly cringed at the blonde woman’s “cool mom” phrasing, began to head towards the sliding doors at the rear of the home.

“And JanJan, honey?” The younger girl stopped briefly and turned back towards the moms. “She’s gonna love it.” Sabrina smiled, winking before resuming her side conversation with Rachel. 

Janis smiled for a moment before continuing towards the backyard. As she went to open the doors, she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. It was now or never. Opening the door, she exhaled and walked out into the light of the setting sun. 

-

Regina was helping to fix Shane’s tie and facing away from the home when she heard the opening of glass and a dramatic gasp come from Damian to her left. 

She whipped around, forgetting about minding her curls, and dropped her jaw as she saw her girlfriend standing by the door, anxiously looking at her as she debuted her new hair. 

With several very significant inches of a bad bleaching gone, she looked like a completely new person compared to the last time Regina saw her. Instead, a dark, shoulder length bob made of contained waves was on the currently sheepish girl’s head. The blonde was completely taken aback with her girlfriend’s beauty, which was there before, but had been reestablished with her new look. 

Janis’s outfit, similar to that of the prior year’s painted jacket and skirt combo, complemented both her own individual style and matched to her girlfriend’s dress. While Regina’s dress had a black top and floor-length, white skirt, Janis opted for a fitted, white jacket and short black skirt. In the brunette's hand was a small box containing a pink and purple corsage made of small, spring flowers. 

The blonde walked over to her girlfriend, tears forming in the corners of her eyes no matter how hard she tried to will them away. “Janis, you look….  _ so _ beautiful.” She managed to stutter out, at a complete loss for words. 

“You like it?” Janis replied, a smirk appearing on her face. The blonde, who was taller in her heels, wrapped an arm around the shorter girl’s neck and cupped her cheek with the other. 

“ _ Yeah _ , I really do.” She said, a tear finally escaping down her own cheek. 

“Careful now, you don’t want to ruin your makeup before our pictures,” Janis joked in half seriousness, and wiped the tear gently off the other girl’s face. 

“I-”

“Okay, you two, Shane’s brother just pulled in with his camera, come over here so we can get this over with,” Damian called out to them. 

The two girls quickly joined the group by the decorated gazebo Mrs. George had enthusiastically decorated with string lights for the occasion, and Janis ran over to her friend, who was quick to hug her and compliment her hair. 

The two moms opened the door to the backyard and walked out with Shane’s older brother, Tony, who worked for Regina’s father, and had somehow been roped into taking photos that night. 

Both Sabrina and Rachel looked teary-eyed already as they watched the group try to configure themselves into a suitable position for everyone’s liking. And as Regina moved next to Janis and hugged her from behind, Sabrina made sure Tony captured the moment. 

“Alright, everyone say ‘Prom’,” The man shouted as everyone settled.

“Prom!” 

-

“I never thought I’d say this, but you were right.”

Janis nearly knocked into the couple next to them. “Sorry! Wait, can you repeat that? I don’t think I heard you correctly.” 

Regina rolled her eyes and lightly wacked the girl’s arm as they swayed lightly on the dance floor. “I said you were right. This is really a letdown. I thought they would’ve at least had a better theme than last year, but nope. It’s still just flowers and balloons,” She stated as she gesturing around the gym.

Janis laughed lightly, looking around the room. She had heard from Damian time and time again that the Student Activities Committee was more often left fighting over details than actually creating a set plan, but she hadn’t wanted to spoil the evening for her date, who had her heart set on a great senior prom.

“I’m sorry this night isn’t turning out how you wanted,” Janis said, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend tighter, pulling her closer. The blonde reciprocated, while also resting her head on Janis's shoulder and sighed.

“Hey, it’s okay. Honestly, I’m really just glad I get to spend it with you. And play with your new hair,” She said, gently twisting a piece between her fingers.

This time it was the brunette’s turn to roll her eyes, “I love how you never wanted to do this before, but apparently, a haircut changes things.”

“It’s softer!”

The two laughed gently, watching their other friends scattered around in the gym, looking equally as unamused.

“Hey, I think I know what’ll cheer everyone up.”

“Oh god, here we go.”

-

And that was how Regina George found herself at an IHOP at 11 o’clock on the night of her senior prom, dressed to the nines with her girlfriend and friends.

“ _ Guys, _ ” Karen started from the opposite end of the long table the group had obtained, “they have  **_cupcake_ ** pancakes.”

As everyone laughed at the girl’s deadly serious tone, Regina glanced around, observing the absurdity. She couldn’t help but think back to last year’s dance, and to the progress that had been made in the year to everyone’s relationships. A year ago, she would have rather been caught dead than caught spending prom night with art freaks and mathletes. 

But now, as Janis gently held her hand as they flipped through their menus, Regina was  _ so _ grateful that the universe had given her a second chance at life.

“Hey,” She said quietly, causing Janis to look up from the various breakfast options. “Thank you for a great night.” 

The girl she loved, she was ready to say that now, smiled and leaned in to kiss her lightly for a brief moment, and began to pull away when Regina whispered it, just loud enough to keep it a private moment between them.

“I love you, Jan”

“I love you too, Regina. Happy prom night.”

**Author's Note:**

> Chat with me annablisshoa.tumblr.com


End file.
